Sweet Noodle Kugel with Cornflakes
This traditional sweet noodle kugel has a crunchy topping made of cornflakes. Eat it hot, room temperature or cold.
Ingredients
Kugel Base
- 1 package wide or extra wide egg noodles This recipe works for either a 12 or 16 ounce package of noodles. For 16 ounc package, add a bit more liquid and if you want, another egg.
- 6 tablespoons butter, cut in 6 pieces, plus butter, oil or spray for greasing pan
- 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup milk, preferably whole, but 2% will work Use 1 1/4 cups if 16 ounces of noodles.
- 1 cup apricot or other fruit juice Can substitute 8 ounce can of peaches (blended into almost applesauce consistency) packed in fruit juice. Use 1 1/4 cups if 16 ounces of noodles
Kugel Topping
- 3 cups coarsely crushed cornflakes (measured after crushing) About 7 ounces
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
Kugel Base
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Grease a 9-inch by 13-inch pan generously with butter, oil, or baking spray. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and cook the noodles until done, but not soft. (Pasta lovers call this stage al dente. (Don’t go by the cooking directions on the package. My package called for boiling 8-10 minutes, but the noodles were done in 6. Taste them after 5 minutes.) Drain the noodles immediately, return them to the pot, and add the pieces of butter. Mix the butter and noodles until the butter is almost completely melted, then pour the noodles into the prepared pan, scraping out any excess butter from the pot.
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Mix the cream cheese and sugar. (I used an immersion blender and the same pot in which I cooked the noodles - less to clean up and quite easy to manage, though the cream cheese and sugar don't get quite as creamy as they would using a mixer.) Then add the eggs, 2 at a time. I have used 6 eggs when I used 12 ounces of noodles and also when I used 16 ounces. For 16 ounces of noodles, 6 eggs makes the kugel a bit dense; if you prefer it lighter add a 7th egg.
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Add the fruit juice and milk to the liquid mixture and pour it over the noodles. followed by the fruit juice. I couldn't find a small container of juice at the store and substituted canned peaches in fruit juice, which I blended before adding it to the mixture. The liquid should reach about ¾ of the way up the noodles. Move the liquid around gently with a spatula to distribute it evenly over the noodles.
Kugel Topping
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The easiest and neatest way to crush the cornflakes is in a plastic bag, crunching them with your hands through the plastic. Mix the crushed cornflakes, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Add the melted butter and mix the ingredients to form a clumpy topping and distribute it over the noodles and liquid with your (clean) hands or a spoon.
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Bake the kugel for approximately 1 hour at 350 degrees F until it bubbles ( a glass pan makes this easier) and the topping browns. Let the kugel cool on a rack or counter for 10 minutes before cutting it.
Recipe Notes
Gail uses white sugar instead of dark brown in the topping. I prefer the dark brown because it adds a depth of flavor.